Mid-Michigan Sees Worst Flooding In 30 Years; CMU Campus Closed

MIDLAND, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - Heavy rain in mid-Michigan is causing the worst flooding in three decades.

Roadways left underwater prompted authorities to caution people against unnecessary travel in places, and Central Michigan University closed its Mount Pleasant campus due to flooding. Sections of some freeways were shut down.

The Midland County sheriff's office says water was deep enough on some roads Friday that vehicles were getting stuck. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning in effect for the Tittabawassee River after the area got 4 to 7 inches of rain.

MLive.com reports more than 5 million gallons of partially-treated wastewater was discharged into the river near Saginaw.

Flood warnings were also issued in Gladwin, Isabella, Mecosta and Montcalm counties.

Authorities say this will likely be the worst flood since September 1986.

The State of Michigan activated the State Emergency Operations Center Friday morning, due to the flooding in Isabella and Midland. SEOC personnel is monitoring the situation and working with state and local officials as well as private sector partners to ensure any resource needs are met.

County Administrator Margaret McCovoy says the Chippewa River in Mount Pleasant rose nearly three-feet over flood stage, causing damage to roadways and infrastructure.

"The county will be declaring a state of emergency, a local state of emergency," McCovoy said. "We have some road washouts, we have some bridges that are in pretty fragile shape, we have a number of unstable roads and shoulders, a lot of trees down, some power lines down, you know, general multiple crop damage."

High winds and thunderstorms Thursday night and early Friday knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses, mostly in Monroe, Washtenaw and Wayne counties; the latter of which saw the brunt of any damage done in metro Detroit.

DTE Energy says about 30,000 out of 80,000 customers affected had their power restored.

Keep it tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest  during traffic and weather, every 10 minutes on the 8s. See the live, local radar now at this link and check for freeway closures here. 

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